According to Automotive News, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued a new report on vehicle theft rates in 2009, and as it turns out, the Audi S8, Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 and BMW M5had the highest theft rates of the year. The report specifically focuses on passenger cars and excludes vehicles like pickup trucks and SUVs. Technically, only two S8 sedans were reported stolen in 2009, but since Audi only produced 227 units that year and the report uses a number of thefts per vehicles produced ratio, the high performance luxury sedan took the crown. The flip side of that coin, however, is that high-volume models like the Toyota Camry, which have a higher number of thefts, aren't as clearly represented in the results.

The Camry was the best-selling passenger car in 2009, and that crown helped see 781 stolen from their owners. Compare that figure to the second-most stolen vehicle in the report; the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, which had just five units out of 581 stolen.